New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-30
THE CARTS MAKE TOO MUCH NOISE
THE MAYORS SCHEME DOES NOT WORK.
BUT HE STILL BELIEVES THAT ASHES CAN BE RE
MOVED AT NIGHT.

BUT HE STILL BELIEVES THAT ASHES CAN BE RE
MOVED AT NIGHT.
Il was said at Police Headquarters yesterday that
the pet scheme of Mayor Hewitt and Street Cleaning
Commissioner Coleman, to collect ashes and garbage
at night had about proved failure after fortnights
trial In Captain Williamss precinct. Tbs precinct
takes in that part OF the city between Fourth ana
Seventh aves from Fourteenthst to Forty
1t was selected for the trial because contained ali
classes buildings public and private ana because
Captain Williams VINO formerly had charge OF the
Street Cleaning Bureau could give valuable police
assistance in the work Captain Williams did all ne
could do to make the plan work well, but at Head
quarters yesterday he pressed himself decidedly In
favor OF a change to mornir g collections
The chief objection to night collections is said to DO
the noise made by the ashcarts and the banging OF
the ashcans by the collectors In the day time when
the streets full of vehicles the ash-cart as dis-
cordant element in city lite Is not fully appreciated
but In the early morning hours when the streets are
otherwise comparatively quiet, the rumbng and jolt
ing of the heavy carts be heard at distance OF
block with exasperating disnctness. The
heathiest persons unable to sleep while the carts
are passing, and the harsh sounds make sick and
nervous persons miserable. Chen every ashman APP
pears to be moved by Unsuitable desire to bang the
metal ash-cans on the sidewalk, thus adding nightly
to the racket DR.. J. b. Taylor, of the Sanitary
Bureau, lives in East Scventeenth-st. Many loaded
ashcarts go through that street their way to the
East RIVER dump. COn5deraDe plaster was snakon
from the ceiling OF Dr. Taylors house by the jOtng of
the carts recent night Similar trouble oc-
CURED In another house in the street occupied by
family named Hanlan.
Many of the ash-carts are built entirely of iron.
Superintendent Green, of the Street Cleaning Depart
ment has had wooden carts used IN Captain Willamss
precinct since the complaints about noise began 10
pour in but the change has only essened the
little. There is scheme on foot to place rubber
springs On the axles OF the carts in the hope OF lessen
ing the noise little In parts OF the PIE
cinct the ashmen have been unable TO find all the
receptaces for ashes and garbage and the occupants
OF houses have complained because the bad smelling
stuf in the had to be kept over day. On
Broadway and In other streets where the business
houses closed in the evening" it is necessary to set
tho asbcans out in front OF the doors about p. m.
People going to the theatres have the full benefit OF
the smells. IL is apparently impossible to comply
with tue recent amendments to the Sanitary Code Tor
bidding the placing OF ash receptacles on the side
walks in streets while the ashes collected at
night, unless inmates of houses sit up until after mid
night to open the front doors Tor the ashmen.
When Police Captain Gunner had charge of the
Street Cleaning Bureau several years ago. an attempt
made to remove ashes and garbage at night, and
the plan did not work well then.
Mayor Hewitt said yesterday that he had received
only few complaints about the plan. OF course IL
certain that there would he more or less noise
accompanying the removal of ashes at nighH 1t was
achoice OF two evils Ii the ashes were removed In
the day time, pedestrians chVked with the dust;
If they removed at night there was the accom-
panylng noise. He thought the noise was the lesser
evil
Street Cleaning Commissioner Coleman said that
the carts did make some noise, he was bound TO
confess but the drivers had been cautioned to mi he
no more noise than was unavoidable. The outlying
parts OF the precinct visited first The more
central parts including the avenues and streets on
which the hotels, theatres and restaurants, were
cleared of ashes and garbage between 1870 and
a. IN. The experiment began on April l. and there
tore had been under way tour weeks. During the
first two weeks there several complaints about
the for the last two weeks there had not been
a single complaint OF this kind, showing that people
were becoming used to the noise, and 1t no longer
caused annoyance. There parts OF the
city, on the east and west sides, Mr. Coleman added,
where the ashes and garbage could not well be re-
moved at night, because of the large number OF
vehicles which lined each aide of the street. During
the day these vehicles were away in Use. In most ot
the city. however, this objection did not apply.
MAYOR Hewitt has written 10 the Police Board and
Pol Justices, acquainting them with the opinion OF
the Corporation Counsel taat the sidewalk Is part OF
the street. and that sweeping material from the side
walk into street does not constitute an offence as 1t
merely removing material from part OF the street
TO another.